Diaper rash is just one of those things that comes with having a baby. Most babies get diaper rash at some point or another, although some are especially prone to it. It can be frustrating when your baby has a bad case, because it makes her miserable and it can make you miserable for her.

You need to start out by identifying what it is that may be causing the diaper rash if you’re going to treat it properly and reduce how often your baby has it.

There are several things that are likely to cause diaper rash, including:

Excess moisture in your baby’s diaper area.

Prolonged exposure of baby’s skin to feces or urine.

Chafing of the diaper area due to poorly-fitting diapers.

Allergic reactions to food.

Irritation due to a specific chemical or a fabric.

Preventing diaper rash, in part, means identifying what may be causing it in the first place.

Here are some of the kinds of things that you can do to help prevent diaper rash:

If you use diapers with elastic around the legs, make sure they’re not too tight. There should be enough room for air to circulate in that area.

Change baby frequently so that her skin doesn’t suffer prolonged exposure to moisture or waste.

With cloth diapers, test out different fabric softeners and laundry detergents, as one of them may be responsible for causing the diaper rash.

If possible, let your baby go without a diaper for at least a little while each day. This helps to keep the area nice and dry.

There is even some evidence that tells us that breastfeeding your baby might actually be able to help keep him from having diaper rash. Breastfeeding is thought to change the levels of certain acids in your baby’s waste, as well as boost your baby’s reactions to infection and other irritations.

If your baby has severe diaper rash that’s causing her skin to become raw, or if her diaper rash is severe enough to make her inconsolable, you should talk with your health care provider about other ways to treat and avoid diaper rash.